Throughout its history, the Department of Neurology at Mount Sinai has excelled in training academic neurologists. Over the past two years, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Sealfon, a scientist-neurologist, the Department of Neurology at Mount Sinai has directed itself towards facilitating and improving the training of outstanding neurologist-researchers. The present application to establish a formal NINDS-supported research- resident training program is a cornerstone of an effort that involves all aspects of the department and all stages of career development. Over two years we have recruited sixteen new faculty members, including several neurologist-scientists, redesigned the preclinical neuroscience course, developed a 12 week neurology/psychiatry/neuroradiology/neurosurgery/research third year clerkship, increased the size of our residency from 18 to 24 residents, designed a new neuroscience-at-noon neurology residents program taught by faculty from half a dozen departments, established formal residency research and junior faculty mentoring programs, received approval for one new fellowship program (with others in the works) and recruited outstanding academic and research-oriented resident cohorts. The PI, Dr. Sealfon, has been continuously funded by NIH for 23 years, has previously directed a T32 program and is wholeheartedly committed to the training of neurologist-scientists. As is typical of our collegial and dynamic institution, our experienced research training faculty is selected from several departments in addition to Neurology. The training program will provide a formal closely-mentored clinical or basic research experience during residency and fellowship to develop the skills, data and publications to submit a career development award and to succeed in a research- intensive department like ours. Success of the program will be judged by the trainee's rate of obtaining K08 and K23 awards, their academic placement and their research contributions. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Neurological disorders, which include dementia, stroke, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, infection and neurodegenerative diseases, cause a significant burden of morbidity and mortality. The rate of translation of the advances in knowledge occurring in neuroscience into improved treatments for these diseases will accelerate with improved training and success of neurologist-scientists. This program will provide outstanding neurology residents with the skills needed to succeed in an academic research career and to help change improve the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disease.